This invention relates to a hinge construction for use with cabinets incorporating a strain relief feature which prevents damage to a cabinet housing when a cabinet door connected to the housing by the hinge is opened beyond its normal open position. In the embodiment illustrated herein, the invention is incorporated or employed in a face frame cabinet, however, the invention has applicability to other types of cabinet constructions.
Hinges for connecting cabinet doors to cabinets per se are a well known and common expedient. Many hinge arrangements have been devised over the years, including hinge constructions employed with face frame cabinets.
The following patents and materials are believed to be representative of the current state of the prior art in this field: U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,200, issued Nov. 26, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,539, issued Nov. 3, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,287, issued Apr. 30, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,290, issued Jan. 24, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,616, issued Jul. 12, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,297, issued Dec. 27, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,165, issued Apr. 28, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. RE.36,213, issued Jun. 1, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. RE.30,717, issued Aug. 25, 1981, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,077, issued Oct. 1, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,072, issued Oct. 7, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,706, issued May 21, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,877, issued Oct. 13, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,493, issued Feb. 28, 1995, U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,296, issued Nov. 26, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,532, issued Apr. 14, 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,766, issue Nov. 10, 1987, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,006, issued Dec. 11, 1990. A frameless cabinet door hinge is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift DE 4405349A1. Other hinges of some degree of relevance are shown in pages 93 and 112-114 of the 1998 Charles McMurray Catalog.
Certain types of prior art hinge constructions can cause serious damage to the cabinets with which they are associated when the cabinet door is pushed beyond its normal open position. The above-identified prior art does not address this problem nor does it disclose or suggest the combination of structural elements disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention includes a first hinge member for attachment to a cabinet housing and a second hinge member for attachment to a cabinet door employed to selectively cover an opening in the cabinet housing.
Connector means hingedly interconnects the first hinge member and the second hinge member whereby the cabinet door may be pivoted relative to the cabinet housing between a closed position wherein the cabinet door covers the cabinet opening and a predetermined open position wherein the cabinet door does not cover the cabinet opening.
The connector means includes strain reliever means for relieving strain on the cabinet housing when the cabinet door has a force applied thereto when the cabinet door is in the predetermined open position further pivoting the cabinet door away from the cabinet opening and moving the cabinet door beyond the predetermined open position.
Other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.